Safety system for ammonia refrigerating apparatus.



r. HENNBBGHLE.

SAFETY SYSTEM POB AMMONIA BEFBIGEBATIIG APPARATUS. unieuro; rmm umn, nos.

Patented Sept. 7. 1909.

I SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N IWW F. HENNEBHLE. l

SAFETY SYSTEM ron AMMONIA BEPBIGBRATING APPARATUS.

PPLIOTIOI FILED BEPT.28, 190s. 933,73 1

MWMYVNVM v A UNITED IsTATEs PATENT oEEIcE.,

rmx HENNEBH-LE, or extenso.' rumors.

SAFETY sYsTEx Fon. AMMONIA nErarG'EiaTr-Nc rra-Minus.'

Speciaaton of Letters intent.

A Application illed September 28, 19081- Serfal m1151994.

4provide means for automatically cutting off the escape o f ammonia upon the occurrence of a break 1n those portions of the system which are most liable to such anv accident.

-0 with the condenser 4 by means of the 3 Another object is to provideal safe relief'A for excessive pressure in the:system.

A further'object is to provide means for obtaining a warning signal whenever the pressure in the system rises above the predetermined point. In the accompanying drawin s Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating one emodiment of my invention. Fig. 2 ,is a diagrammatic View of another embodiment of the invention. Fig. 3 is a sectional view, on an ei-1- larged scale, of one of the check valves.

Referring to Fig. 1': The compressor 1 is arranged to dischar e through the pipe 2 into a separator 3, which latter is connected 1 e 5. The liquefied ammonia-gas flows rolin the condenser 4 into the storage tank o r' l1-um The liquid ammonia escapes froin the storage drum 6 through an expansion valve T into a pipe 8 communicating with` the space or apparatus 9 to be cooled'. In

the pipe 8 is located a pressure-reducing.'

valve 10. 11 is a return or suction main eX tending from the cooling space 9 tothe compressor 1. That portion' of the system ex-l tending between the compressor 1, through the separator, condenser and storage drum! to the expansion valve 7 is'under high pressure, 280 pounds being a pressure commonly employed in practice. l

In order to prevent the escapev 0f gas from the high pressure portion ofthe system, I provide a check valve 12 in the pipe 2. The valve' disk 13 of said valve is normally held open by a s ring 14 to ,prevent wearlng of the valve isk through fre uent se'ating. thereof. Any breakage in the ischarge side` of the compressor, permitting\the escape o gas to the atmosphere, or a break in the ipe' .2 between the 'compressor and the `c'ck valve 12 will permit the pressure in tthe sys-l tem to seat the valve disk 1 3 against the .force exerted 'by the spring I4. A reduction in pressure due 'to such an accident also is 'utilized to cut oifthe flow of gas through the suction main 1`1 to the compressor, 'y means of a check valve 1`5 located in said suction main, said valve co 'rising a valve ratentasept. 7,1909.

'disk ltg'ada'pted to cut ofi' t e flow ofV 'gas i throu h the suction main. A piston 17 conto the stem of said valve disk is mounted in 'a cylinder 18 which is open to necte the pressure in the pressure side Aof t'he com-- presser through `the medium 'of a pipe 19. A 'reduction of pressure at the pressure side of the compressor or in' the system between the com resso'r and the check valve 12 will enable tiie pressure'in the suctionm'ai'n to overbalanee the pressure in the cylinder 18 and' seat. the valve disk'16. A

'2O is a check valve located in the suction main 11 'between thecheck valve 1'5. and the com ressor I. The check valve 20 comprises la va ve disk21 to the stein of which is fixed a piston 22 which is 'mountedl in a cylinder 23. An opening 23* admits atmospheric pressure to the cylinder 2 '31 The disk 21 and the piston 22 being of equal area, it will beseen that the valve is balanced. The Weight of the sli'dable valvemember 21 22, assisted by the spring' l24, tends to seat the closure 21. In the operation ofthe compressor, atmospheric pressure u l011 the under side of the piston 22 opens t e va'lve. Should a break occur between the valve 20 andthe compressor,

the spring 2 4 and the' weight of the structure- 21 2s immediately clases thezvalve.

In 'order tol provide a saferelief for excessive pressure in the portion ofthe system extending between the compressor and' the expansion valve 7 I connect a relief valve 25 with the pi'pe 2, said. relief valve being arranged to lscharg'e to the atmosphere through a-pipe 26 o'r int'o the suction main 11 through a pipe 27.

28 are cut-olf valves inserted in the pipes `Normally, lthe cylinder 31 is' under .the same f .pressure-..as exists in the inlet side of the relief valve 25by-i'eas'on of leaka e of as past the 'iston 29 into said cylin er. he piston 29 1s somewhat larger in area than the valve disk.

piston xed with relation to the- '10o 26- and 27 so that the relief valve may be The pressure in the cylinder 31 is arranged to be relieved by means commosphere is particularly we prising a valve 32 connecting at 'one end with said cylinder and at its other end with a pipe 33 leading to the outlet side of the valve 25 or anyv other place in which the pressure is relatively'low. The valve disk 30 of the valve 25 is normally held seated Aby the pressure -in said valve and in the cylinder 31. Said, valve disk is arranged to be unseated by a piston 34l located in a cylinder 35, said ylinder communicating Vith thel inlet side ofthe valve 25 through the pipes 36 and 37. The `passage of pressure fluid through the pipes 36 and 37 is normally prevented by a valve member 38 held to its seat by a spring 39. The pressure of the spring 39 may be adjusted by means of a screw 40 so as to cause the relief valve to operate at any desired pressure.

When the pressure in the high-pressure portion of the system rises above that to which vthe spring 39 is set, the valve member 38 lis unseated, the piston 34 moved to open the valve 32, whereupon the pressure above the piston 29 is reduced, ermitting the pressure in the inlet' side of the valve 25 to unseat the 'valve member 30. The excess atmosphere or the suction main 11, as desire If desired,y an alarm whistle 41 may be` inserted in the pipe 2 at any convenient or suitable point.

When an expansion valve is vdepended upon to furnish the desired pressure in the cooling room or lappliances, frequent adjustments of said expansion valve are necessary. I obviate the necesslty for'such adjustments by providing in the pipe 8 exf.

tending between the expansion valve and the coolingappliances, a pressure-reducing valve 10 adapted to reduce the pressure 1n said pipe to the desired point. For example, the expansion valve 7 may be set to discharge ammonia into the pipe 8 at a, pressure in the neighborhood of forty pounds,

and the reducing valve 1.0 maybe settoreduce the pressure to, say twenty pounds,^"or

an other pressure desired. The reducing valve 10 may be set to deliver the vaporized y, ammonia at a uniform pressure, and is not affected by slight variations of pressure in thepipe 8.

, The` arrangement hereinbefore. described for preventing the escape of gas into the atapparatus' in' vwhich the pressure in the suc-- ,tion main is about thatof the atmosphere.

Where it isv desired to carry af pressure. of, say, ,twenty pounds, in the cooling appli-` ances andv return pipe, the constrl'ictlon shown in Fig. 2 may be employed. As

valve 42 similar 'to `the saidl valves 15 and v42 connected with the opposite ends of the compressor cylinder'by l suited to v an' means of pipes 43 and 44, resr'iectively'.` A check valve l45 is inserted in each ofthe pipes 43 and 44, said valves opening 'to' adfV mit pressure fluid to the cylinders 18 and 42a. Means is provided for permitting a relatively slow escape of the pressure fluid trapped in the cylinders 18 and 42a',.a s, yfor example, a small port 46 extending through the closure of each check valve 45.

In the construction last described the valves 15 and 42 are normally open, and the ammonia is fed to the compressor at the pressure existing in the return pipe 11. Referring to Fi 2, should a break occur in the right-han cylinder head or in the pipe 2 between the compressor 1 and the valve 12, the pressure in the cylinder 18 will be quickly reduced by reason of leakage through lthe port 46, and the pressureJ in the suction main Will close the valve 15. A similar ac- 85 cident at the opposite end of the compressor.

cylinder will result in the automaticA closing of the valve 42. v

If desired, a signal device such as is illustrated in Fig.`2 may be used. A whistle 47 connected with a steam or compressed air supply pipe 48 is controlled by a valve 49 that is arraned to be operated by a piston 50 and cylinder 51. The cylinder 51 is connected with the high-pressure portion of the system by means Yof a passage 52 controlled by a spring-pressed valve member 53. When the pressure in the system rises labove thatI at which the valve member 53 is set, ammonia is admitted to the cylinder 5l, whereupon the valve 49 is opened to admit steam to the whistle 47. The valve member 53 is open only for a moment, being seated by its spring. The ammonia trapped in the cylinder 51 gradually leaks past the piston 50 and is too small in quantity to be objectionable.

The valves 12, 15, 20 and 42 close tightly, automatically; ,therefore the hand wheels herein illustrated may be omitted, if preferred, as accidents frequently occur through "failure to open a'valvethat` has been closed by hand. The valve 12 may be inverted, ifA desired, the spring 14 omitted, andthe disk 13 normally held unseated by gravity. In 115 Vsuch av construction, as well as in the one shown, the valve operates upon a slight variation in the pressure. L l

It is obvious that the relief valve 25 may be employed in 'any pressure-uid-system. 120

I wishit to be understood that I desire y not to be limited to the details, herein shown', vand described,`inasmuch as .said details are illustrated merely to disclose practical constructions embodying the invention, and va- 12,5 rious modications will occur to persons 'skilled inthe art.

I claim as my invention: A Y y -1. In refrigerating apparatus, in combination, a compressor having inlet and `dis- 130 charge means, and means for automatically closing the inlet upon a reductionof the pressure in the discharge means.

2. In refrigerating apparatus, in combination, a compressor having discharge means; a suction main; a cut-ottl valve Ain said suction main arranged to be closed by pressure in said main; a piston and cylinder operating to hold said valve open; and a means of communication between said cylinder and the discharge means.

3. In refrigerating apparatus inacoinbination, a compressor cylinder;a suctionvmain; a cut-olf valve in said suction main arranged 15 to be closed by pressure in said malin/and pressure-liuid-actuated means connected with one head of said cylinder for holding said va lve open. 1

'4. ln refrigerating apparatus, in combination, a compressor cylinder; a suction main; two cut-oli" valves in said suction'main; and two pressure-fluid-actuated means connected with the opposite heads of said cylinder, and each controlling one of-said cut-oil' Valves.

5. In refrigerating apparatus, in combination, la compressor; a suction main; a cuto'tl' valve in said suction main; a piston and cylinder Ifor operating said valve; a pipe connecting said cylinder with said coinpressor; and a check valve in' said pipe adapted to permit the gradual escape of the fluid trapped in said cylinder. l

(S. In rfrigerating apparatus, in combina-I tion, a compressor; a suction main; a discliarg'e pipe; a relief valve for said discharge pipe; pressure fluid actuated lmeans for holding said relief valve closed; and pressure fluid actuated means communicating with said discharge pipe for renderinginoperative the first mentioned pressure-fluidactuated means. 7. In refrigerating apparatus, in combination with the high pressure portion of the apparatus, a relief valve comprising a valve closure; a piston and cylinder to operate said closure, said cylinder being open to the pressure in the high pressure portion of the system; a relief connection for said cylinder; a valve in said relief connection; a piston and cylinder for operating said last mentioned valve; a connection between said last mentioned cylinder und the' high pressure portion of the system; and a pressure-actuated valveY in tlw last mentioned connection.

8, In refrigerating apparatus, in combination, a compressor; a suction main for the fluid to be compressed; a valve casing in said suction main, having a valve seat; a valve member in said casing arranged 'to be seated upon said seat; and means actuated by atmospheric pressure for unseating said valve member in the operation of the compressor,

said valve member being arranged. to be automatically seated upon -a breakage be-A tween tlie compressor and the valve casing.

9. In refrigerating apparatus, in combination, a compressor; a suction'main; and aI balanced stopvalve in said main, said valve comprising a casing, -a balanced structure comprising a valve disk and a piston, said casing including a cylinder in which said piston is mounted, said cylinder having an opening therein to place said iston under atmospheric pressure, said ba anced struc? ture being movable to seat the valve disk upon breakage of the main between the stop valve and the compressor.

10. The combination of a Whistle and means for connecting said Whistle with a source of pressure lfluid, a valve controlling said Whistle, 'pressiire-l'luidsactuated means.

v connected with another source of pressure tluid for operating said valve, and a valve last mentioned valve controlling said pressurc-fluid-actuated means.

'arranged to be openedby fluid pressure, said 11. In refrigerating apparatus, in conibination, a closed system; a compressor andV ,an expansion-valve in said system; a check valve located in. said system between the compressor and the expansion valve; a safety stop valve in the suction side of the system, said stop valve tendin to seat under the pressure. in the suction si e; and means actuated by the pressure between the coinpressor and the check valve for holding the: stop valve open. l2. In rcfrigerating apparatus, in combination, a closed system; a compressor and au expansion valve in said system; a check valve located in said system between the compressor and the expansion valve; a safety stop valve in .the suction-side of the system, said stop valve tendin to seat under the pressure in the suction si e; a cylinder; a iston in said cylinder` and connected with said stop valve; and means for communication between said cylinder and the portion of the system between the compressor and said check valve, the pressure 1n said cyl- 'inder tending to hold said stop .valve open.

y FRANK HENNEBHLE'.

`Witnesses:

GEORGE L. CHINDAHL, C. PAUL PARKER. 

